The Issues

The records maintained for main pipes and cables by the Utility Companies are often incomplete and inaccurate. The Utility Companies stipulate that it is the responsibility of the organisations carrying out excavation work to accurately locate the 3D position of the individual utilities before starting work.

The location of the connections from the mains to service individual properties are not recorded by the Utility Authorities. Many utility pipes/ducts are plastic, and stormwater and sewer pipes are generally made from concrete, earthenware or plastic. These non-metallic services cannot be readily detected by ElectroMagnetic 'wand' type locators unless they have a trace wire attached to them. Optical fibres also cannot be detected by ElectroMagnetic 'wand' type locators.

There are no "Black Box" solutions available which will detect all utility services and pipes in the ground. The type of pavement/soil, depth of cover, height of water table and type of cable/pipe all have a significant effect on the performance of the locating equipment. Skilled interpretation of the drawings, the site, and the results obtained is required to increase accuracy of the locating work.

There are significant OHS and cost implications if undetected utility services are damaged during excavation works, including:

• Death or serious injury to Construction Personnel
• Disruption to dependent businesses and homes
• Disruption and delays to the Construction Works
• Compensation claims from Utility Authorities

Raw material prices have been held at unsustainably low levels for many years, and this has stifled the adoption of innovative practices in the industry. Dramatic increases in the price of materials in recent times means that project costs will blow out unless innovative practices are evaluated and introduced.

In addition, many construction projects suffer time and cost blowouts, which can have significant commercial consequences for the client. Disputes over the final job quality are commonplace, and this can result in a high level of distrust between all parties.

In general, inadequate time is spent in detailed planning of the works during the tendering process and hence in estimating the cost of the works. Upon award of a contract there is a tendency for all parties to want to start the physical works on site as early as possible, in order to complete the works within the contract time frame. This process leads to sub-optimal performance on the job and the pursuit of contractual claims to generate profit.

This state of affairs appear to be driven by an industry perception that projects will always be awarded to the lowest bidder. As a consequence a contractor feels that they must underbid and then have to reduce quality or make variation claims to make the work profitable.

Best practice overseas has shown that significant benefits for all can be realized if more time is spent on reviewing the risks and opportunities, both during the tendering process, and in the time between award of tender and starting work on site.

These benefits can only be realized if all parties involved in the contract understand each other's needs and work together to realize the best outcome for all.

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